


Shadows in the Dark

by ThefirstRanger



Category: The Brotherband Chronicles - John Flanagan
Genre: Gen, I promise it will work out, Not Really Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 03:56:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21130358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThefirstRanger/pseuds/ThefirstRanger
Summary: It's a dark night and Lydia and Ingvar are outnumbered. They aren't letting the Andomal get stolen again. They'll do whatever it takes and pay whatever the cost.





	Shadows in the Dark

It wasn't a fair fight. It couldn't have been. They were outnumbered four to one in the dark. Lydia and Ingvar were pressed together back to back, breathing heavily. They had been walking through the forest when disaster struck.

All around them, shadows circled. The occasional glint of metal could be seen. There was no noise. Normally, Ingvar could have taken on four assailants and been perfectly fine, but it seemed liked they knew Ingvar's move before he made it. Lydia wasn't faring much better. The darkness hadn't hindered her too much, but her atatl had been snatched away by a brave shadow after she had let loose several well placed darts accompanied by grunts of pain. She hadn't let it go without a fight, but the massive shadow had kicked her to the ground before darting back to the shadows. Lydia was down to her short daggers and Ingvar had his massive, solid club. 

Even at a disadvantage, Lydia and Ingvar still put up a fight. Enough to keep their opponents at bay. The pair may have been sporting black eyes and bruises, but they were sure their opponents had received just as much as they had given.

The shadows stopped circling and Lydia and Ingvar could hear them start to whisper in low tones. Lydia tensed her muscles, ready to spring into action. Ingvar shifted his hands into a more comfortable grip. He had to be ready. He felt Lydia beside him and felt comforted knowing that whatever happened, she was with him. 

An unfamiliar voice rang out in the darkness, cold and imperious. "We have been generous so far. Give us the Andomal or die." The rest of the shadows jeered and muttered their approval. 

There was no way Lydia was ever going to let the Andomal out of Skandian hands. She wasn't from Hallasholm but she knew what the Andomal represented to the town and to the Herons. They had fought tooth and bone to get it back from Zavac and Lydia wasn't going to let the orb get stolen again. Ingvar stiffened beside her. He had figured they wanted the Andomal. Gorlog help him, he would die before he let that happen. He had already let down Hallasholm from the first theft of the Andomal, risking life and death to get it back, and he would not let that happen again. Lydia felt Ingvar stiffen and she knew what he was thinking.

It was strange how the invaders only wanted the Andomal, but that was at the back of Lydia and Ingvar's minds. Their only concern was keeping the Andomal safe, whatever the cost. 

Speaking for the both of them, Lydia cried out in the strongest voice she could muster. "You'll never have the Andomal. You'll be hunted down before the night is over, if not by us, then by our crew."

A mocking hiss cut the air. "It's a pity your crew isn't here." Lydia could just make out a blurred motion before the shadows advanced again, tightening the circle. 

Lydia and Ingvar sprung into action. Spotting a gap in the circle, Lydia darted through it and slammed the nearest figure to ground. The figure let out a loud oof and the next closest figure swung an axe at Lydia who barely dodged it. Her dagger was out and ready. Another fighter joined the fray, but Lydia was ready. They were going down.

Meanwhile, Ingvar was fighting off five opponents at once. His fearsome club was keeping several of them at bay but there were two fighters trying to engage Ingvar in a direct fight, or at least that was what Ingvar thought. He couldn't really make out much in the dark but he could see when a sword was swung at him. He waved his club at the men who were trying to duck under his arms and knocked them to the ground. The other two men backed away cautiously before stopping and gearing up for another go at Ingvar. A wooden club was swung and hit Ingvar in the leg, sending him stumbling. Ingvar might not have been able to see much but he could feel and it hurt. 

Ingvar couldn't see was the final figure standing next to a column several yards away, but Lydia could. Her opponents lying down on the ground around her, she saw the shadow raise a crossbow up and aim it at Ingvar. Lydia wanted to scream but instead she raised her dagger and threw it at the figure. The dagger slammed into the crossbow, knocking the shooter down but not before the arrow was released. 

It went straight to Ingvar's chest. He looked down, staring like he couldn't believe it. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground sideways. Now Lydia did scream. It shook the night with grief and rage and the promise of revenge. Her best friend was dead and the world would pay. She was a whirlwind of fury but not even Lydia could take on eight men at once. Lydia gave it her best shot. 

At her scream the men at Lydia's feet began to stir and she ran. She ran to the Andomal intending to grab it and go but a sudden figure blocked her path. A growl came from what seemed like a wolf and Lydia backed up slowly. She couldn't outrun a wolf and the men. In her shock, she backed up into a large body and she jolted in shock. 

"You can't out run us girlie." 

Muscular arms grabbed her and tossed her to the ground. As Lydia lay on the ground, breathing faintly, the last thing she saw before her eyes closed was the shadowy figures smiling triumphantly above her. 

One moment later, Lydia felt Thorn's non hook hand grab hers and pull her up gently. She shook her head and scowled at him, though it lacked her usual bite. 

"That was a good fight tonight you guys, except for you old man." 

The Heron crew exchanged amused looks as Lydia and Thorn pulled Ingvar up from the ground. Ingvar gave a wry smile and shook his head. He handed Hal back his arrow which had a blunt end that was wrapped in cloth. Ingvar had barely felt the arrow hit his chest but he had felt the spray of wet red powder and knew he had died in the game. 

"It was a good fight. We've really improved over the past few sessions." 

Hal let out a victorious grin. He couldn't help it. He, Stig, Ulf, Wulf, Edvin, Jesper, Stefan, and Kloof had beat Lydia and Ingvar tonight. Even though they had the numbers advantage, Lydia and Ingvar were a hard pair to beat. Kloof came out of the forest panting and she nearly knocked Lydia down to the ground as she jumped on Lydia and started to lick her.

Everyone was sporting bruises and Edvin had a cut lip, but there were smiles all around. Stefan was still speaking in his cold thief voice but Ulf and Wulf wrestled him to the ground and he gave up. 

Stig wrapped his huge arms around Lydia and Ingvar and gave them a hug. "Sorry about that last swing Ingvar. It nearly took you out." He looked at Lydia. "And sorry for knocking you to the ground." 

Ingvar and Lydia smiled goodnaturedly at Stig. He was sweet to apologize.

"It's okay. I could barely see anything so just about any swing could have taken me out." 

Jesper interrupted. "Honestly Lydia, you should be apologizing to us. Look at this bruise!" He pointed dramatically to the tiniest bruise Lydia had ever seen. "Wulf and Ulf have matching bruises as well."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't keep the smile off on her face. It had been a good night and a good game.

It had all started after the Herons had gotten back to Hallsholm and returned the Andomal. They were heroes, but the entire crew still felt the effects of their banishment. Lydia and Thorn had noticed that the Herons would walk past the Andomal every day, even if it was out of their way, just to make sure it was still there. Jesper often had to touch it so he could reassure himself. Edvin had confessed to the crew that he was still sure they would be banished if anything happened to the orb. Stig felt enormously guilty that he didn't do anything that fateful night it was stolen. Nevermind that they were sixteen year olds who couldn't have done anything. They knew it wasn't the most rational way of thinking, but they couldn't shake it. 

It was Karina who had suggested the games. She had seen her fair share of raiders come back shaken long after raids and something needed to be done. So she suggested that the Herons go back to the site of the Andomal and practice what they could do if there ever was another theft. Sometimes, action was needed to sooth the mind. Thorn agreed and the monthly games were born. There would be a couple Herons defending the Andomal and a couple Herons trying to "capture" the Andomal. The first time was the worst, it brought back bad memories in the dark, but talking through it helped and so did being around each other. It was reassuring to have some measure of control and to know what they could do. 

Over time, it morphed from a serious exercise into something resembling a game. It became a way to try out tactics and teamwork. Random lots were drawn and random members would work together to protect the Andomal. The game quickly became more elaborate as Kloof was brought in and Hal whipped up some powders to keep track of "deaths" in the game. That was how Ingvar ended up with a red soaked shirt. The game might have been a bit morbid, but it made the nights better. 

As the Herons walked out of the forest, Ingvar put a comforting hand on Lydia's shoulder. She looked up at him. However much they enjoyed the game, they were both glad it wasn't real.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't actually kill off Lydia and Ingvar!


End file.
